Mrs. Rogers keeps TV host's memory alive

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Joanne Rogers, the Mrs. to the famed and beloved Mister Rogers, still finds herself speaking in the present tense about the children's television host nearly a year after his death.
"I talk about 'our' this and 'our' that, and I talk about him in the present tense an awful lot," said Joanne Rogers, 75. "I haven't been able to get used to the past tense."
Fred Rogers, the host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," died on Feb. 27 from stomach cancer.
Busy schedule
Joanne Rogers has kept a full schedule since his death, accepting awards on his behalf and talking in front of groups about Rogers' lifelong work of helping children.
Last month, Rogers spoke at a ceremony inducting Fred Rogers into the Broadcasting & amp; Cable Hall of Fame in New York, but was unsettled by a film clip of her husband. She forgot whom to thank at PBS and Family Communications Inc., which ran the show.
"They showed the film and I was so undone by it, that I went up, I had the notes right in front of me but I couldn't remember," she told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It was like everything in my mind had been knocked out."
Advances his work
Rogers, a pianist, continues to advance her husband's work and next week will record the forward to an audio version of the book, "The World According to Mister Rogers."
The book continues to sell well and this week was No. 12 on USA Today's best-seller list.
Rogers traveled to Los Angeles earlier this month to attend "A Tribute to Fred Rogers," held by the Academy of Television Arts & amp; Sciences.
She spent hours afterward signing copies of the new book, both reminding her of her loss and that she is not alone.
"You have a lot of mixed feelings that are kind of all mixed up because the people are so wonderful and David (Newell) really made a point of saying this is a celebration."
Newell, better known to the show's audience as Mr. McFeely, the speedy delivery man, has served as a family spokesman since Rogers' death.
Learning to cope
Learning to live without her husband has been a slow process, but Rogers said she is learning to cope.
"Sometimes I'm surprised that he doesn't just show up at the door," she said. "But on the other hand, I also know that he's not here and I'm coming to the realization slowly that he's not coming back."
On New Year's Day at 9:30 EST, PBS is scheduled to air "Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor," a documentary that details Rogers' early years in Latrobe, Pa., his start in television with NBC in New York and his work in founding WQED in Pittsburgh, the first community-owned TV station.
On that day, Rogers said, she may continue a tradition her husband began decades ago -- a call to Bob Keeshan, better known as "Captain Kangaroo."